A Declaration of Paternity form is used to legally establish the paternity (the biological father) of a child when the mother and the father are not married to each other. It should be signed by the biological mother only if she is not married. It may be signed by the biological father regardless of his marital status. The Declaration of Paternity is a voluntary act and provides the father and child to certain rights.

Signing the Declaration of Paternity is a voluntary act, and by doing so the biological father will be giving up some rights that he may have, including the right to a court trial to decide the issue of paternity.